City Strikes Fabricated Vote from Record — Then Takes Up the Issue for Real

OCEAN SPRINGS, MS – The Ocean Springs Board of Aldermen took formal action Tuesday night to remove a false entry from its official record — a phantom vote appearing in the July 1 executive session minutes that the Board claims never actually occurred.

The entry, which claimed aldermen unanimously agreed to keep controversial former City Attorney Robert Wilkinson on retainer, was formally struck from the record Tuesday night in a 7–0 vote.

Multiple aldermen have confirmed Interim City Attorney David Harris, Jr. was the one who submitted the July 1 executive session minutes that included the alleged false vote. Emails sent to Harris requesting clarification have gone unanswered.

But rather than ask how a false action was inserted into the official record or take steps to prevent it from happening again, the Board moved on, eventually returning to another closed door session.

And something happened in that executive session – something City Hall doesn’t wish to repeat.

Request Denied

At 8:50 p.m. Tuesday night, the Board of Aldermen entered closed session. Seven minutes later, City Clerk Christine Millard reentered the boardroom and announced to the live audience, as well as those watching the YouTube livestream, that the board would remain in executive session to discuss pending litigation involving the city.

The live video feed continued until she finished the statement — and then it was cut.

Roughly an hour later, at around 10:00 p.m., City Clerk Millard returned to the boardroom and made a second public announcement. This time, the livestream was off and less than a handful of residents remained in the audience. No public recording exists. No written summary was posted. And repeated requests for the information were ignored.

When asked the following day for a repeat of that announcement for those who were watching from home or were unable to attend the 10 p.m. announcement, Millard refused, stating the official minutes would be available within a few weeks.

To date, over 400 people have watched the incomplete meeting online, according to YouTube statistics.

The 10 p.m. announcement was not secret. It was not a matter of attorney-client privilege or internal deliberation. It was the legally required public disclosure of final actions taken by the board.

In the past, media and residents were able to call former City Clerk Patty Gaston and ask what occurred in the previous evening’s executive sessions. Gaston would always give a summary – no delays, no runaround, no need to wait weeks for official minutes.

Here’s What They Aren’t Willing to Repeat

Unofficially, sources with direct knowledge tell GC Wire the information being kept under wraps is a Board vote to keep Robert Wilkinson on retainer and continue paying him to represent the city in several pending lawsuits. That is the exact issue that was erroneously recorded to have passed unanimously in the July 1 meeting minutes.

So, how did they vote this time?

It passed. The Board voted 5–2 Tuesday night to once again keep Wilkinson’s law firm on retainer. Aldermen Shannon Pfeiffer and Karen Stennis reportedly voted against keeping Wilkinson on the payroll.

GC Wire has not independently confirmed the vote count or whether the City Clerk’s second public announcement included that information.

Wilkinson ended a long tenure as city attorney on June 30. He has been subject of numerous investigative reports linking him to three controversial private traffic enforcement schemes throughout Mississippi, including the failed Securix program in Ocean Springs.

Multiple aldermen were asked to confirm how they voted. None would answer. Each stated they wanted to answer, but said they were instructed they could not disclose anything that happens in executive session.

That, too, is incorrect. Under Mississippi Code § 25-41-7(5), final actions taken in executive session must be made public, including who voted and how. No law prohibits an elected official from disclosing their own vote — in fact, the law encourages it.

GC Wire continues to request the official list of final actions from the August 5 executive session and will report any updates as they become available.

Why Wilkinson’s Role Remains Controversial

Robert Wilkinson’s continued involvement with city litigation is not a routine matter of legal housekeeping — it’s a decision loaded with baggage.

For over two decades, Wilkinson served as the City Attorney for Ocean Springs. But in recent years, he became a central figure in multiple investigative reports linking him to controversial private traffic enforcement programs, including the now-defunct Securix system. That program, which used cameras to issue citations for lapsed insurance, often operated outside the court system and bypassed due process — with Wilkinson simultaneously advising the city and financially connected to the program.

Internal emails, court records, and public statements show Wilkinson’s fingerprints on nearly every phase of the Securix rollout, even after he publicly claimed to have recused himself. Despite this, the city allowed him to continue serving as its chief legal authority throughout the program’s operation.

The backlash was swift. Dozens of residents complained, a cease-and-desist letter from the Department of Public Safety shut down programs he was involved in, and legal challenges followed. But no internal investigation into Wilkinson’s dual roles was ever conducted.

The city’s decision Tuesday night to quietly re-approve Wilkinson’s firm for ongoing litigation — while keeping the vote to the public hushed — suggests a deliberate effort to avoid reigniting controversy.